4 ms·
The fluorescence test showing racemic mixtures of the enantiomers is maybe the most significant datum - we kinda knew they had a whole bunch of hydrocarbons fro
by madaxe_again 4y ago
The fluorescence test showing racemic mixtures of the enantiomers is maybe the most significant datum - we kinda knew they had a whole bunch of hydrocarbons from distant observation spectrography, but the demonstration of an abiotic origin is a - for panspermia and a + for abiogenesis.
- doitLP 4y agoHow can we be sure it’s of abiotic origin?
- nicolaslegland 4y agohttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6027462/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6027462/ TL;DR: Biotic implies L-chirality. Ryugu exhibits balanced chirality.
- _a_a_a_ 4y ago"Biotic implies L-chirality" on this planet sure, but it's one data point to extrapolate from. It's not enought.
- nicolaslegland 4y agoThis is the data point we discuss panspermia vs abiogenesis upon, R-chirality couldn't have spawned the L-chirality lineage here.
- kevviiinn 4y agoEarth biotic origin implies L, I think it is theoretically possible if life developed elsewhere that other enzymes may preference R. AFAIK our enzymes are generally conserved throughout life
- madaxe_again 4y agoIndeed. Asimov’s “Left hand of the electron” has an essay which explores and explains why life inevitably ends up with a chiral preference.
- dvh 4y ago>left and right structures were present at approximately 1:1
- fit2rule 4y ago[dead]